Breath freshening comestible product

Abstract

A comestible product which includes inulin, a polyol and a divalent zinc or copper compound which effectively controls breath malodor.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A comestible product which comprises a product selected from the group consisting of a tablet, a pressed tablet, a lozenge, a hard candy, and a chewy candy which includes between about 40% and about 95% inulin, between about 5% and about 60% polyol selected from the group consisting of mannitol, xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, hydrogenated glucose, a hydrogenated disaccharide, a hydrogenated polysaccharide and mixtures thereof, between about 0.1% and about 5% lubricant and binding agent and between about 0.02% and about 0.3% divalent zinc or copper compound, said percentages being by weight, based on the total weight of the product. 
     
     
       2. A comestible product in accordance with claim  1  wherein said inulin is present in a concentration in the range of between about 45% and about 85%; said polyol is present in the concentration in the range of between about 15% and about 55%; and said divalent zinc or copper compound is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.05% and about 0.2%. 
     
     
       3. A comestible product in accordance with claim  2  wherein said inulin is present in a concentration in the range of between about 50% and about 75%; and said polyol is present in a concentration in the range between about 25% and about 50%. 
     
     
       4. A comestible product in accordance with claim  3  wherein said inulin is present in a concentration in the range of between 50% and about 60%; and said polyol is present in the concentration in the range between about 40% and about 50%. 
     
     
       5. A comestible product in accordance with claim  1  wherein said comestible product is a pressed tablet. 
     
     
       6. A comestible product in accordance with claim  1 , wherein said polyol is selected from the group consisting of mannitol, maltitol and sorbitol. 
     
     
       7. A comestible product in accordance with claim  6  wherein said polyol is sorbitol. 
     
     
       8. A comestible product in accordance with claim  1  wherein said lubricant and binding agent is selected from the group consisting of a vegetable oil, medium chain triglycerides, magnesium stearate, aluminum stearate, starch, Carbowax and poloxamer. 
     
     
       9. A comestible product in accordance with claim  8  wherein said lubricant and binding agent is magnesium stearate, said magnesium stearate present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.5% and about 2%. 
     
     
       10. A comestible product in accordance with claim  1  wherein said zinc or copper divalent compound is zinc gluconate or zinc lactate. 
     
     
       11. A comestible product in accordance with claim  10  wherein said divalent zinc or copper compound is zinc gluconate. 
     
     
       12. A method of controlling breath malodor which comprises ingesting a breath malodor controlling effective amount of the comestible product of claim  1 .